Tag Archives: Leicester City

21st March 2026- Championship, Watford 0 Leicester City 0

Watford Observer: Still on whether he judges himself on points or performances

Still not focused on the ramifications of Leicester game

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY LIVE: Watford 0-0 Leicester City

Five talking points as Watford held to Leicester stalemate

Match Report: Selvik saves penalty as Watford and Leicester slog to goalless draw

Still: Watford played through the pain barrier and wanted ‘close game’

BBC: Patson Daka had a penalty saved as relegation threatened Leicester City were held to a goalless draw by play-off chasing Watford.

Sky :Daka’s 40th-minute spot-kick was brilliantly tipped on to the post by home goalkeeper Egil Selvik. The striker also headed wide of a near open goal in the second half as the Foxes failed to climb out of the bottom three.

BHappy: Forgive me, I know that ranting about referees is unspeakably dull and I wouldn’t for one moment suggest that his performance had anything to do with the disappointing outcome of this game, but I do need to try to extract some pleasure from the exercise. As the second half descended into mind-numbing stalemate, Smith seemed determined to inject some randomness into proceedings with a series of absurd decisions in both directions. The most bizarre, a yellow against Doumbia which saw him drop to his knees in astonishment after he held off an aggressive challenge from behind. In the first half, the official had dropped the ball and run off the pitch and down the tunnel during a break in play that contributed to eight minutes being added before the interval; one can only assume that in the interim some sort of alien abduction took place, or an unwise experiment with hallucinogenic drugs such was his performance in the second half. No surprise at all that when Bobby Decordova-Reid obstructed Egil Selvik’s attempt at a clearance even the Norwegian, that mildest-mannered of mild-mannered janitors, was at a boiling point that saw a significant scuffle ensue. “That was the ref’s fault”, said everyone in the stadium (as well as the interfering extra-terrestrials, one assumes).

Fran’s Watford Blog: There was disaster for the Hornets ten minutes before the break as Fatawu went on a dangerous run into the box, getting behind Formose Mendy who tripped him. The referee had no choice but to point to the spot. The penalty was at the same end as Knockaert’s all those years ago and Selvik did an Almunia by diving the right way and pushing Daka’s shot onto the post where it rebounded out sparking joyous celebrations in the home stands

From the Rookery End: Watford served up the full emotional buffet this week — from the genuine high of a feel-good win over Wrexham (and that moment), to the all-too-familiar frustration of a stop-start, slightly baffling 0-0 with Leicester.

26th December 2025- Championship, Leicester City 1 Watford 2

Watford Observer: Watford training on Christmas Day ahead of packed fixture schedule, reveals Alleyne

Match Wrap: Leicester City 1-2 Watford – Watford FCDownload

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY RECAP: Leicester City 1-2 Watford

Match Report: Pollock heads winner as Watford secure impressive 2-1 win at Leicester

‘Really happy for players, staff and supporters’ – Gracia on Leicester win

Kyprianou hails Chakvetadze quality after ‘big’ Leicester win

BBC: Othmane Maamma’s delightful strike sparked a stylish fightback as Watford moved to the verge of the Championship play-off spots with victory over faltering Leicester City.

Sky: Imran Louza played a starring role with two assists as Watford came from behind to win 2-1 at Leicester and claim back-to-back victories for the first time this season in the Sky Bet Championship.

Fran’s Watford Blog: It had been a very impressive performance. It was a shame that we had to concede another early goal, but the rest of the game had been mostly Watford, and we had played some very good football. A number of excellent moves were spoiled by poor finishing, but you have to create the chances to miss them and eventually some will go in. It was a great team performance, but there were some stars. Louza had a great game with assists for both the goals. I am glad that he gave his Mum something to celebrate on her birthday. Maamma was again impressive, his goal was a thing of beauty. Mattie Pollock had another solid game and could have scored two goals, I was so glad that he grabbed the winner. Chakvetadze is getting back to his best, scurrying around, fighting for everything. And Ngakia continued his recent good form causing problems for the opposition in both boxes.

10th February 2024- Championship, Watford 1 Leicester City 2

Forgive me for being self indulgent for a moment but the programme featured Old Watford on the Fantasy League page.

https://www.skysports.com/football/watford-vs-leicester-city/teams/485073

WFC.Net goal commentary: 1

Sky: Patson Daka set Leicester on course for a 2-1 win against Watford at Vicarage Road that maintained their 11-point lead at the top of the Sky Bet Championship.

BBC: And, when Ricardo Pereira struck after the break, Enzo Maresca’s side looked to be cruising. Emmanuel Dennis’ first goal since his return to Watford set up an exciting finish, but Leicester held on.

Watford Observer: RECAP: Watford 1 Leicester 2

Positives in defeat as Hornets beaten by leaders

‘I’m really proud of the players’ – Ismael

Dennis back on the scoresheet but don’t expect him to start on Tuesday

Hornets didn’t show their quality in the final third says Porteous

BHappy: We had speculated in the first half as Leicester keeper Mads Hermansen confidently persisted in positioning himself to the right of the area as Leicester built from the back, almost in the Porteous position alongside Wout Faes’ Wesley Hoedt to give his side another progressive passing option, that we hoped that they would stick with this when Dennis and all his hurlyburly tasmanian devil aggression was introduced.  What we hadn’t expected at all was that Dennis wouldn’t need to ambush anybody – instead he was the grateful recipient of a negligent back pass from Harry Winks.  With his back to an empty goal, he had to accommodate that the pass was struck without the energy to run past him and set up a shot at goal – indeed, Leicester Paul later speculated that Winks mistook Dennis for his goalkeeper, still in the Porteous position and perhaps unadvisedly sporting a yellowish green.  Whilst quietly acknowledging that neither of our regular starting centre forwards could have been relied upon to capitalise on the gift there was nonetheless much to commend in Dennis dragging the ball into a shooting position and sending it beyond the despairing recovery dive of the returning goalkeeper.  

Fran’s Watford Blog: The Hornets threatened again as Dennis prodded the ball to Ince whose effort was well over the bar.  The visitors then made a double substitution as Fatawu and Praet were replaced by Mavididi and Choudhury, whose entrance was met by the odd boo, but mostly applause from the Watford faithful.  The Hornets continued to search for the equaliser as Ince found Asprilla in space, his shot from distance took a wicked deflection and flew just wide of the target.  Following the corner, the ball dropped to Hoedt at the far post whose snatched shot was straight at the keeper.  There was seven minutes of added time, during which Vardy and Hoedt were booked after a foul by the Leicester man was followed by him winding Wesley up.  The only shot in added time was a weak effort from Mavididi that flew wide of the far post.  The final whistle went to boos for the referee but warm applause for the efforts of the players.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68189950

25th November 2023- Championship, Leicester City 2 Watford 0

https://www.skysports.com/football/leicester-city-vs-watford/teams/484897

BBC: Jamie Vardy’s first goals since early October ensured Leicester City stayed top of the Championship as they beat Watford 2-0.

Sky: It had looked like being a half of frustration for the former Premier League Golden Boot winner, after he somehow missed an open goal from four yards out in the 74th minute.

Watford Observer: RECAP: Leicester City 2 Watford 0

Air of inevitability in defeat as Watford fail to grind out a draw

Ismael not happy with first-goal defending and Bachmann’s initial yellow card

Jet-lag a major factor in Saturday’s team selection

Fran’s Watford Blog: Most Watford fans that I spoke to after the game thought that it had been a decent performance from the Hornets.  They had set up to frustrate Leicester and had been very effective but, once the breakthrough came, a comeback looked unlikely.  The Bachmann sending off was frustrating, although the first yellow seemed rather harsh.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67459828

15th May 2022- Premier League, Watford 1 Leicester City 5

WFC.Net goal commentary: 1

Attendance: 20,257

BBC Sport: Jamie Vardy scored twice as Leicester thrashed already relegated Watford to consign them to a seventh defeat in eight Premier League games.

Sky Sports: With incoming Watford head coach Rob Edwards in attendance, the already relegated Hornets made the perfect start as Joao Pedro (6) capitalised on some poor Leicester defending to open the scoring.

The Guardian: Watford’s latest defeat equals the overall top-flight record of 15 home reverses in a season and leaves the 39-year-old Edwards in little doubt about the summer overhaul required. Barnes made it 3-1 approximately 17 seconds into the second half, much to Hodgson’s frustration. “It’s the antithesis of what we were hoping for,” said Hodgson, who was without a host of first-team players because of injury and will depart Hertfordshire without winning on home soil.

BHappy: There are few of the consolations of previous bad relegations;  in 2000 and 2007 we had teams punching above their weight who ran out of luck.  1988 was awful, but the bitterest pills had been the previous summer and a rebuild was already suggested.  1996 was miserable, but offset by a tragically magnificent late charge and the promise of what was to come. This season has been charmless and shambolic.  The challenge of being promoted out of a pandemic shouldn’t be discounted… we were always up against it, a newly promoted Watford (rather than a Villa or a Newcastle) is always going to be running uphill.  But a challenge can be steep and the response utterly miserable.  The two aren’t mutually exclusive.

Fran’s Watford Blog: The players did a lap of honour in front of the few that were left in the ground.  It was a very muted affair compared to the usual end of season parade. On this occasion the players, very sensibly, kept their children out of the spotlight.  There were cheers for Ben Foster on what would be his last appearance in a Watford shirt at Vicarage Road..